Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 15 2009:
Clarifying that incompletion of the school building being constructed for GNM course as well as the inability to decide whether the results of the viva voce conducted should be for 60 seats or 90 seats led to the delay in announcing the result of the competitive examination to select GNM candidates, Family Welfare Minister Ph Parijat today assured the Assembly that the result would be declared ahead of the session due to begin from the first week of August.
Responding to a call attention motion raised by MLA Dr Ng Bijoy of MPP in this regard, Ph Parijat pointed that out ANM/GNM courses, under the Government of Manipur, used to be run at the hired building of RIMS at Lamphelpat but after the RIMS authority gave the instruction to shift, a new building is being constructed with funding
from NEC.
Although the construction work, which is estimated to cost Rs 4.75 crores, began in 2005, not more than 80 percent of the work has been completed, as NEC has released the fund amount in piecemeal.
When the remaining fund were released for completion of the building, the same could not be encashed in time and the amount is still lying in the Government account, the Minister said, adding that efforts are being made to complete the building before the commencement of the session in the first week of August by withdrawing Rs 20 lakhs from the State Plan amount.
The Minister further said that as the area of the land on which the present school building is being constructed is very small, the Manipur Nursing Council decided to admit only 60 students for GNM courses annually, instead of the earlier arrangement of admitting 120 candidates, for three years together.
However, in view of another recent decision to admit 90 candidates, which was taken in consideration of the limited number of nurses and their importance in the State, on one hand and the failure to complete the school building, on the other hand, prompted the delay in declaring the viva voce results for admission to GNM course.
Inspite of that, efforts would be made to declare the result in time for the next session due to commence from the first week of August, the Minister assured.
Raising the call attention motion, Dr Ng Bijoy observed that the inordinate delay in declaring the result of the viva voce, conducted for admission to GNM course has caused apprehension among the parents and guardians of the students whose career may be at stake.
Dr Bijoy said GNM course is a suitable course for women which can ensure self employment to them as well.
Since Manipur Nursing Council cannot decide the numbers of GNM seats to be admitted, the MLA also demanded to know what instruction the Indian Nursing Council has given in this regard.